Culturally empowered, civically engaged
Voting is a powerful tool for change, especially for the Native community in the Portland region, where our voices are often overlooked. This November, the stakes are high, and Native communities across the U.S. have a chance to influence major elections.
NAYA’s Government Affairs Manager, William Miller, stresses the need to take part in the civic engagement process – or else Native communities and individuals can be left out. Miller also leads the PACE (Policy, Advocacy, and Community Engagement) Team for NAYA, which works to strengthen the community’s voice and make engaging in the civic process more accessible. NAYA’s PACE Team ensures the Native voice is heard at the local, state, and federal levels. The team helps with voter registration and hosts events like Ballot Lunch and Learns, where community members discuss what a yes or no vote really means on ballot measures. Miller said the ballot language is often confusing and difficult to understand. The PACE Team simplifies complex language to make it easy to understand for those in our community, ultimately bridging the gap between systems of government and the community.
Miller hopes community members will share the information they learn, becoming resources for others. With the upcoming changes to the Portland City Council structure and the implementation of ranked-choice voting, he expects NAYA will be providing more educational events and materials in the coming months. When asked for ideas to get out the Native Vote, Miller suggested that making a plan to vote is a powerful tool. Encouraging family and friends to talk about the issues and hosting parties to vote together can make voting a fun-filled community engagement process.
Another resource NAYA has provided is a voter guide. While NAYA endorses some ballot measures, due to its 501(c)(3) status, it avoids partisan political activity. NAYA’s Advocacy and Policy Team, made up of representatives from different departments, decides the organization’s stance on ballot measures and determines our legislative agenda each year, informed by and for community.
Supporting Native voices
NAYA participates in Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts to encourage voter turnout in the Native American and Alaska Native community. The PACE team holds voter registration sessions and provides educational forums about what voters can expect on their ballot, how to fill out a ballot, and where to vote in each election cycle. Additionally, each election cycle, NAYA serves as an unofficial ballot drop site for voters in our community. The PACE Team collects ballots, which are in a secure locked box, and transports those to the local elections division. This creates an opportunity to reduce barriers to voting for those in our community.
“Getting out the Native Vote” is a regular topic of discussion at NAYA’s intergenerational Portland Youth and Elders Council (PYEC). By providing information about community issues, policy decisions, and upcoming elections, NAYA strives to keep our community informed and engaged.
NAYA’s LEAD Program is a four-month leadership development training program that supports civic engagement and helps develop leadership in the Native community. LEAD teaches skills like advocacy, leadership, negotiation, budgeting, and navigating predominantly White spaces, which are vital skills for aspiring Native leaders. More than 200 graduates, including 14 from last July, have completed the program since its inception in 2007.
Make sure your voice is heard. Exercise your right to vote.
If you’re an Oregon resident and haven’t yet joined the 3,012,777 people in the state who are registered to vote, it’s not too late. Visit the Oregon Secretary of State’s website to register and learn more about your voting options. Your vote is your voice!
Register to vote in Washington.
Check out Voting While Unhoused from Vote.gov for information on voting while unhoused.
A long history of advocacy
Founded in 1974, NAYA’s mission focuses on providing comprehensive, culturally specific services that enhance the lives of our region’s Native American youth, families, and elders, offering educational programs, family services, housing support, and cultural preservation initiatives.
Critical to NAYA Family Center’s mission are its robust civic engagement efforts. Recognizing the power of advocacy in effecting change, NAYA Family Center has long worked to mobilize the Native community, providing education on civic matters, and encouraging participation in the democratic process. This commitment to civic engagement laid the groundwork for a more structured and focused approach to political advocacy.
NAYA Action Fund: the Need for a 501(c)(4) Organization
While NAYA Family Center has made significant strides in advocacy and civic participation, its 501(c)(3) status restricts the ability to engage in more direct political activities, including lobbying for specific legislation and endorsing political candidates. The NAYA community deemed these actions crucial for driving systemic change.
To overcome these constraints and amplify impact, the NAYA community envisioned creating a separate entity that could engage in these activities without jeopardizing the nonprofit status of the NAYA Family Center.
In December 2019, the NAYA Family Center Board of Directors formally began discussing the formation of a 501(c)(4) organization. After thorough exploration and planning, the Board authorized the creation of this new entity, and the NAYA Action Fund was born.
Incorporation and Vision
Incorporated in November 2020, the NAYA Action Fund emerged with a clear mission: to expand political advocacy and build electoral power in partnership with the Native community across Oregon and Washington. The new 501(c)(4) organization was designed to complement and build upon the decades-long advocacy and civic engagement work of the NAYA Family Center.
By leveraging the trust and relationships built by the NAYA Family Center, the NAYA Action Fund positioned itself as a unique political hub grounded in the cultural and historical context of the Native American community. The NAYA Action Fund’s creation marked a significant milestone in the Native community’s journey toward self-determination and empowerment. With a foundation rooted in the values and experiences of the NAYA Family Center, the NAYA Action Fund aims to address historical power imbalances and advocate for policies that reflect the needs and aspirations of Native people.
Today, the NAYA Action Fund continues to build on this legacy, engaging in strategic political advocacy, cultivating new leaders, and working tirelessly to ensure that Native voices are heard and respected at all levels of government. The Action Fund’s work is a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives and the enduring strength of the Native American spirit in shaping a more just and equitable society.
The organization’s vision is to see the Portland and Vancouver regions with a large, growing, and proud Native community grounded in traditional worldviews, and celebrating multicultural and multi-tribal heritage as a source of strength.